The Wonder of His Hope December 18, 2022

Introduction

Funny story of working like a child with Elaine in her workshop.

Part of the wonder of what God gives us through Christmas is the Wonder of Hope!

Perhaps today that’s something you struggle to hold onto.

Sometimes the grip of deppression robs us of hope.

Sometimes the persistance of sickness saps our hope.

Sometimes the negativity of news drains our hope.

We live in a time much like it was for the Jews.

In fact we live in a time much better than the Jews had. They were occupied by the Roman Empire and for hundreds of years prior to the time of Jesus they had gone from being ruled/occupied by one country or another. Kind of like Eastern Europe/Ukraine today.

Jesus’ arrival was God’s renewal of hope for his people. He fulfilled hundreds of years of Prophecy by showing up at the time and place He did.

The arrival of Jesus meant God was fulfilling a hope that people had looked to for centuries. Hope looked like a little baby sitting in a manger.

Jesus came as the fulfillment of literally hundreds of prophecies.

Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies!

Prophecies were times when God sent a message about something He would bring to past in the future.

Check out this prophecy from the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

700 years after this prophecy Jesus was born you know the interesting thing about the name Jesus is it means savior it means someone descent to save people. That's the reason we believe as Christians that Jesus came to earth in the first place. He came to earth to rescue us and save us from the things that we do that separate us from God. God calls those sins.

Jesus was born to give us hope while at the same time destroying Satan’s plans.

From the beginning Satan has been lying and deceiving us. Satan has been driving a wedge between us and God. The sins introduced in the garden lead to a wave of death and destruction leaving millions looking for hope ever since creation. Jesus comes as the One who can solve the problem of sin in the world.

Think about it, sin and satan are behind the many things that bring us pain in our own lives.

Broken relationships because of selfish choices.

Pain inflicted on others when people act out of only self interest.

Bosses or employees only looking out for themselves and hurting others.

Theft, robbery, violence and more are just a few of the many ways that sin hurts our lives.

And yet the Baby Jesus grew up and said these words about the work He came to do:

John 10:10 ESV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Think about this verse.

There are

Two agendas.

The thief, Satan, comes to steal from, kill, and destroy us.

Jesus comes that we may have abundant life.

We as a country and world in 2022 disagree about what the “Abundant Life” is don’t we? We have many conflicting culture views about what this means. What Jesus offers is an abundant life based on and defined by a relationship with Him. Jesus offers an eternal abundant life that we can expect to continue with Him forever. And Jesus offers a present abundant life that really works. Jesus’ ways really do solve the problems of our life.

If you read and apply even just the sermon on the mount found in Matthew 5-7 you will find yourself blown away by the abundant life God offers through Jesus.

Jesus’ abundant life has been transforming men, women, and children for centuries.

But what we need to remember is that we will not experience the abundant life Jesus offers unless we live it. We can’t fully understand the blessing of living a life with Jesus’ teachings until we actually do it.

That’s why we talk about the habits of a healthy believer. Try to live like Jesus taught and see how it changes your life.

But do you know what I love about how Jesus works? I love that he doesn't just come to give us and abundant life, he comes to stop the works of the evil one. To destroy the work of the devil.

1 John 3:8 ESV

8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

I love this clear passage of scripture explanation point there's no wondering what God is about there's no guessing what Jesus plans to do. It's simple he plans to destroy the lies and deception and the work of the devil.

Peter describes the devil as a roaring lion hunting for someone to destroy. Jesus came to stop him.

So this Christmas time we celebrate Jesus who came to earth to live among us to grow and do the work that defeats the work of the devil.

Literally hundreds of prophecies point to the rival of Jesus. They are throughout the scriptures over hundreds of years.

Satan has always been at work destroying things. He's destroyed lives and families and countries and cultures. The sin that he brings brings death and devastation.

Jesus will return again

But Jesus came to earth as an innocent baby. He grew up and went to the cross to sacrifice to defeat the power that the devil has to destroy lives. And the Bible says one day Jesus will return again. To get rid of the work of the devil forever.

If you haven't thought about Jesus like that go home and read revelation chapter 19 sometime.

This thought this reminder of Jesus returning is in part what we celebrate whenever we take communion and we talk about proclaiming the Lord's death until he comes.

1 Corinthians 11:26 ESV

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Throughout history the thing that has given Christians more hope than anything is looking forward to Jesus coming. Christians who suffered persecution and martyrdom lived would the words come Lord Jesus come. And the last words recorded by Jesus in the New Testament are found in revelation chapter 22.

Revelation 22:20 ESV

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Jesus came to give us life and he came to destroy the work of the devil. They came to give us freedom from sin. But he didn't just come to give us forgiveness he came to give us a truly abundant life. Let's take a look at a couple other passages one of them in the book of Hebrews that reminds us of what Jesus came to give us.

Jesus knows us

Hebrews 2:14 ESV

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

Jesus made himself like us so He could know us and be fully able to defeat the work of th devil. Jesus was fully God and fully Human. He was wrapped in our humanity and in our flesh.

Hebrews 2:14–16 ESV

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.

Notice again that Jesus took part in our flesh so that through his death he might destroy him who has the power of death and bring deliverance. Bring hope.

And again this word helps here it means he saves us. It's like what a dad did once when he saw his two year old had jumped in the pool without her floaties and we're sinking to the bottom of the pool. Without hesitation he dove into the pool to help her to save her. Jesus helped us. Jesus saved us

Hebrews 2:17 ESV

17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

You know you have to understand what someone else is going through in order to be able to sympathize with them and help them. Jesus knew our weaknesses and the frailty of our human bodies. And because of that he is perfectly able to sympathize with and to make atonement for our sins.

Jesus completely dealt with sin for us once for always!

Hebrews 9:26–28 ESV

26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Hebrews Chapter 9 continues this theme of God's work. Jesus came to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. He came to win forgiveness for us by the sacrifice of himself. He came to intercede for and understand us. And one day he will return again. We don't need to keep offering sacrifices and grovel before God in order to get forgiveness. Jesus won that for us. That's part of what we celebrate! That's the greatest gift that we could ever receive at Christmas time!

The gift that Jesus brings us is that we don't have to live on a loop sinning and begging God for forgiveness. We can know that God has forgiven us because of what Jesus has done. He came to give us freedom. And then he reminded us that he will return again and as Christians we get to enjoy the life that he has given us today and look forward in hope to his return.

So what can we do as we wait for Jesus’ return?

Enjoy quiet moments alone with God each day.

Develop a continual awareness of His presence.

Have yielding obedience to His Spirit.

Practice these things (as a part of the 3 habits) and you’ll experience the abundant life Jesus offers you.